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Using the fragrance K-Mac's humanity as cover for the stench of moneyball?

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Carl Herrera, May 10, 2011.

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  1. Carl Herrera

    Carl Herrera Member

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    Casey, McHale, Frank

    One of these things is not like the others.

    No, not the one black guy, or one the short guy. The other guy. The guy who didn't spend years as an assistant coach and isn't known for his consumption of advanced stats (whether as a coach or as a GM).

    What is he doing here with the other 2 candiates (and with Darly Morey)?

    Here's my theory: If they bring in KMac, it would be to do the job that Adelman refused to betray his current staff to do: be a "front man" who mentor for one or more young analytically oriented assistants and delegate mcuh of the X's and Os to such assistants. This way, the team will use McHale to create a human-like face when they need to motivate players, entertain fans and relate to other humans while running an ruthless Solyent Green-type operation behind it all.

    Thank about it: The Rockets are supposed to be looking for the next Tom Thibodeau-- the hard-driving assistant coach lives in the film room and sleeps in the office. Thibodeau probably dreamed of being an NBA head coach since middle school. McHale didn't even want the coaching job (too much grind, too much travel) and only did it because he was forced to do it.


    Obviously, it would be stupid to say that McHale doesn't know pro-basketball or strategy, but so do the other candidates, and they probably have spent more time analyzing such things than McHale has.

    The one thing that makes him stand out is that, for some reason, people like the guy.

    He is entertaining on TNT/NBATV. He was, according to Bill Simmons, the funniest guy on the Celtics team chronicled in the book "Unfinished Business." Hell, how else do you explain him lasting 15 years with the Wolves before finally getting fired? :)


    He seems to be the exactly the kind of guy to make Kevin Martin feel like a human being rather than just a trade asset. Of course, Adelman was pretty good at that, too-- players really really liked him. But Adelman comes with the defect of having his own opinion as to how things should run... McHale, on the other hand, will probably not insist on being that "old school" and will be more than happy to hand things off to, say, Chris Finch or whoever else wants to spend hours devouring Morey's spreadsheets and maybe even to step aside for the home-grown "analytics-oriented" coach after a few years.
     
    #1 Carl Herrera, May 10, 2011
  2. heypartner

    heypartner Member

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    I'm pretty sure you can only get strawberries in the luxury boxes at TC.
     
    #2 heypartner, May 10, 2011
  3. RV6

    RV6 Member

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    good point...does make sense....i just dont like the idea of bringing someone in to develop someone else...we've got enough player turnover as it is.
     
    #3 RV6, May 10, 2011
  4. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Member

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    So McHale will basically be a puppet.
     
    #4 Mr. Clutch, May 10, 2011
  5. Dr of Dunk

    Dr of Dunk Clutch Crew

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    Being a sports fan gets kookier every year...
     
    #5 Dr of Dunk, May 10, 2011
  6. napalm06

    napalm06 Huge Flopping Fan

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    Funny. As I read the OP I had this exact same thought.
     
    #6 napalm06, May 10, 2011
  7. Carl Herrera

    Carl Herrera Member

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    Yes... sort of.

    Also may not be a bad idea. The "figurehead" ruler thing seems to go OK in Britain, Sweden, etc. Perhaps Kevin McHale is just what we need to keep the peace between old school and new school. Sometimes, it's useful to have a leader who doesn't mind being a puppet.

    Given that we are not getting rid of Leslie Alexander any time soon*, maybe the best we can do is to get a coach who will bend to his will and get along with him instead of fight with him like the last couple of coaches did. It would be good for the small folks to enjoy some peace and stability.

    (*If you were Les Alexander and you were starving for a title, would you fire yourself?)
     
    #7 Carl Herrera, May 10, 2011
    Last edited: May 10, 2011
  8. DragonGirl

    DragonGirl Member

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    McHale is not entertaining. He is a boring old man on TV.

    And anyway, Morey does not care about making his asset happy, you only do that for superstar.

    You are pretty entertaining most of the time. But this theory is just plain weird.
     
    #8 DragonGirl, May 10, 2011
  9. Audioout

    Audioout Member

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    You know, I was JUST thinking about this very possibility before logging onto Clutchfans.

    Of course, I was also thinking that if they pick Lawrence Frank then they have no vision and are just hoping to copy the Bulls.

    Whatever, doesn't make any difference anyways cause whoever we pick will just be holding the job until Shane Battier is ready to be a coach. :cool:
     
    #9 Audioout, May 10, 2011
  10. theDude

    theDude Member
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    This is a very interesting theory. There has been something wrong with McHale that I haven't been able to put my finger on. The first time I heard his name, I thought it was a joke. Then I heard he was going to interview and figured he was a bored old man looking to do a little sight-seeing and would exchange pleasantries with Les and Morey and then slip back into obscuritiy. Yet, there he was listed in the Chronicle as one of the leadingcandidates and it just didn't make sense.

    When I heard all of the names being mentioned, I have to admit, I was underwhelmed. I thought Chris Finch was the most interesting of the bunch (despite only seeing his name once, I believe). He has a pretty good resume and the only thing missing is the NBA experience. Maybe it is my own naiveté, but I don't know that I wouldn't prefer a successful D-League head coach over an NBA assistant. The idea of bringing in McHale to mentor Finch for a couple of years does make sense. But talk about unorthodox. Not sure if I really like the idea as much as I lke the possibility of thinking outside the box (and I mean way ioutside) in order to get what they want. Morey might possibly be putting his career on the line with that move. Afterall, if Chuck Hayes is playing center again next year, this is all completely irrelevant.

    Kudos to the OP for recognizing McHale's value. Whether or not they actually go this route remains to be seen, but this does help him blend in with the rest of the field a little bit better for me.
     
    #10 theDude, May 10, 2011
  11. aelliott

    aelliott Member

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    In past seasons the Rockets and T-Wolves jointly held private workouts for draft prospects. The league has since ruled that the workouts now must be open to all teams but for those seasons it was just the Rockets and Wolves. During that time the two GMs spent time together and got to know each other and apparently Morey was impressed by McHale.
     
    #11 aelliott, May 10, 2011
  12. durvasa

    durvasa Member

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    Morey and McHale.

    I can actually see this working out ok ... I don't think it makes sense to hold McHale's failures as a GM against him. He's experienced, he commands respect from players, and he knows the game. There's no doubt about that. And if he has a good relationship with the Rockets FO, more the better.
     
    #12 durvasa, May 10, 2011
  13. saleem

    saleem Member

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    All of our ills,will be cured. We can sleep soundly.
     
    #13 saleem, May 10, 2011
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